Laxity in joints/liagment?

[claw3]

I have been told ds has this and all that Paed could tell me, was that his handwriting might suffer.

Does anyone know if this could be associated with something else?

Hi claw 3

Was posting earlier in the week to see how you got on with your school meeting. How did it go?

DS has ligamental laxity and hypotonia. From what I gather, it is largely considered benign and genetic.

Many children on the spectrum have this although it is not one of the diagnostic criteria and I have never been able to find any information on why there should be a connection.

I have been told it can affect writing too as the hands are very bendy.

Hi Debs40

After meeting even more confused than i was before to be honest.

I gave the school a list of incidents, dates and names. The school are basically telling me, these incidents did not occur based on ds giving the wrong names some of the time ie he said that girl X who sits at his lunch table did x,y and z. The school are saying there isnt a girl X, who sits at the same lunch table as him.

Although i did point out he has great difficulty remember names, he may well have got the wrong name, but doesnt mean it didnt happen.

They are saying if he cannot give correct names, they then cant follow up the incident.

However he has been given a mentor and a pass so he can go to her room whenever he wants and various cards to help him explain his needs. A referral to a place which helps children to read social cues etc and he has been far happier about going to school.

Thanks Debs40 just googled hypotonia, as you said it is a potential manifestation of many different diseases and disorders.

Ds doesnt have a dx yet, just lots of symptoms which all seem to point to autism.

He also has extremely pale skin, which everyone always comments on, but no explanation as to why.

Claw 3 - how frustrating for you with the school although it looks like things are looking up if they are putting things in place to help. Does he have a home/school book? I'm just setting one of those up with DS so I can point out issues as soon as they arise and hopefully nip things in the bud.

There does seem to be a link between hypotonia/hypermobility and autism. I have been told that boys will usually get better with low muscle tone as they get older as they get their 'boy muscles' at puberty and that helps!

DS can't ride a bike because of it as he can't push the pedals and he slouches/leans everywhere and all the time!

Hi Claw3, my son who is 8 and asd has lax joins/ligaments and problems with his core stability. He also has very pale skin that people often point out (we've never found out why and my other children aren't pale at all).
He doesn't have a diagnosis as such,just we've been told he has a speech and language disorder,expressive and receptive, and global developmental delay. He has regular O.T to help his motor skills and some SALT but thats about it.
Anyway just saying a quick hi as i've not come accross anyone with a child with similar muscle tone problems as my son yet, Jo x

Debs40 - The school are saying the hitting incidents are all in his head, im not 100% convinced, but what the school are saying has put a shadow of doubt in my mind. He has a good vocabulary and a good memory, but he does get very confused when asked to recall earlier events and name people. He also hates having a fuss made and people looking at him, so would rather not speak up if/when it does happen. He will have a home/school book on Monday, also a smiley face chart with different degrees of happy/sad which they fill out with him to establish how he is feeling. So they are trying to help him.

I am a bit worried as the referral they have made is to a 'special school' who would come into his school twice a week.

Ds's problems seem to be his upper half ie his fingers bend back to touch his wrist, his wrist bends backwards to touch his arm etc.

Oh and thank you for thinking of us.

Hi Jo5677 - My ds has been anemic since he was 18 months old (due to extremely limited diet)but he has taken medication and his iron levels have been fine for years now.

I was told that once his iron reserves were back to normal, his colour and appetite would return in a few weeks. 4 years on and im still waiting!

Same here too, both myself and my partner are olive skinned. In fact my partner parents were born in a different country and he has very dark features.

Ds also has a speech and language delay and sensory modulation disorder, problems with his eyes and shadows on his lungs, but no dx.

Claw I'm sorry you're having all this anxiety. It is hard when your child can't really tell you what has happened. My DS absolutely hates it if I try to get to the bottom of anything. He always thinks it measn he's going to be in trouble and clams up and/or gets hysterical.

They can be so easily led and then worry about what they've done wrong but equally they can be without the basic response that most kids have to report things that do happen.

I've tried to adopt a completely neutral, non-judgmental, approach to anything that happens and I've found he is starting to tell me things that worry him. I tell him if he tells me, I can tell the teacher and it will be sorted in a flash. This has helped.

Their lack of reliable communication really places a barrier between you and school as both parties rely on the child to get a full picture.

Hopefully, if they keep a closer eye on him and the home/school book is put in place, communication may be easier.

Don't worry too much about the fact that the referral is to a special school as this might just be where the expertise is. But ask questions about anything you're not happy with.

You have my sympathy as I know where you're coming from on this!

Debs40 - Although i can understand the school cannot investigate incidents if he confused as to who did what etc.The school basically said he is making it all up and that it was all in his head. I felt very uncomfortable about this as they are not qualified to reach such a judgment.

Still the important thing is they have put something in place to help him communicate, so i will just have swallow the past and focus on the future.

Thanks for your support and im glad things are looking up for you too.

I can quite understand your discomfort. I would feel the same way but I agree the only way is to try and monitor things from here on in. I hope things get better. Keep posting!

is he possiably confusing times/dates in his head so that then leads to them not believing him..

ds also suffers with hypermoblity and low muscle toneso am prepared for writing to b a big issue hopeing w e can use ccmputes

Phoenix - Morning, yes it is possible, the school were already aware that he confuses names. They have basically used the perfect 'get out clause' and there is not much i can do about it.

Is that what joint laxity is called, hypermobility?

Does using a computer make it less tiring? the school have commented to me about he will not point to words when reading? He says it hurts his arm.

Joint laxity is the same as hypermobility.

It can either be without symptoms or it can cause symptoms such as joint pains, dislocations, subluxations (mimi-dislocations), problems with motor control etc. (It can also be associated with incontinence and various other problems).

It sounds like your ds is very hypermobile in his hands and that this must cause him problems. He will need physio, if he is not already getting it, and an OT to look at ways to make his daily life easier. My ds has similar problems with his hands and is also beginning to get pains in his feet and ankles. His sister has the same, but also back trouble. Ds has special pencil grips, a leaning folder to write on and will probably get to use a laptop more and more at school. His sister had a scribe for her SATS.

Hypermobility+ symptoms used to be known as Benign Hypermobility Syndrome- but what benign means is simply that you can't die from it (unlike Marfan's syndrome, which comes with cardiovascular problems); it doesn't necessarily mean your life isn't made difficult. I think anything that can be done to make his school life easier is likely to have a positive effect. Some people grow out of it in adulthood, as joints stiffen naturally, some go on having problems all their lives.

Hi

Sorry to hear about your little one have you had a look at the hypermobility syndrome association(HMSA) my ds was told he has hypermobility and hypotonia along with a lot of other things and there website and forum is full of usefull advice

Cory - He often complains of aching arms and legs (although it doesnt appear to have affected his legs)

He does suffer with incontinence. Doesnt see a physio, but is under the care of OT, or will be once we are transferred to different borough, recently moved house. I will google the syndrome you mention and have a read, thanks you can never have too much information.

Mummyslittleboy - Thanks will google that too.